Dry chemical fire extinguisher structure

ABSTRACT

A dry powder fire extinguisher container and use-ready support. The holder has a support which interfits the container base and carries a container stopper so mounted on the holder to plug the opening of the container which is resting on the support. The stopper mounting is arranged in a manner so as to lock the container in sealed readiness for use and against unintended release from the holder and to release and open the container when the container is removed from the holder for firefighting endeavor.

States aten [15] 3 648 7 7 Hnthsing, Jr, ar. 1, 1972 [54] DRY CHEMICAL 1F EXTKNGWHSHER 2,896,823 7/1959 Waagepetersen ..222/180 X STRUCTURE 3,035,731 /1962 Schifter ..220/ 18 X 3,224,717 12/1965 Mott ..2l1/83 X [72] Inventor: Charles K h mg, 111., 16 Shermer 3,391,888 7/1968 Longo ..l69/30 )1 Road, Northbrook, 111. 60062 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles [22] Flled' 15970 Assistant Examiner-Thomas C. Culp, Jr. [21] Appl. No.: 80,898- Auomey1-1ofgren, Wegner, Allen, SteIIman & McCord 1111B IRA [52] 11.5. 121. ..1169/30,211/83, 220/18, [57] s mr 222/1795 A dry powder fire extinguisher container and use-ready sup- [51] gm. CL fig 111/00 port. The holder has a support which interfits the container 581 M11111 of Search ..169/; 2mm, 36; 222/1795, base and carries a container pp mounted on the holder 222/ 180, 182; 211/82, 33 to plug the opening of the container which is resting on the support. The stopper mounting is arranged in a manner so as 56 R f CM to lock the container in sealed readiness for use and against I 1 8 unintended release from the holder and to release and open UNlTED STATES PATENTS the container when the container is removed from the holder for firefighting endeavor. 2,499,672 3/1950 Nurk1ew1cz ..169/30 X 2,868,417 1/1959 Legman ..222/ 7 1C 4 Drawing Figures l as g '1 2/ are DRY CHEMICAL FIRE EXTINGIUISIIIIER STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a fire extinguisher structure. More particularly, this invention relates to a dry powder fire extinguisher and acooperating holder for receiving the container, closing same while holding it in readiness for use and automatically opening and releasing the container when manually taken from the holder for use.

2. Description of the Prior Art The types of small fires which most commonly occur in places such as a kitchen are classified by Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. as Class B and Class C fires. Class B fires are defined as fires in flammable petroleum products or other similar flammable liquids, greases etc., where the blanketsmothering" effect of oxygen-excluding extinguishing agents are most effective. Class C fires are defined as fires involving electrical equipment where the electrical nonconductivity of the fire extinguishing unit is of first importance.

Dry powdered chemicals have been known to be effective in extinguishing Class B and Class C fires. Among the dry chemicals bases which are most frequently employed to extinguish Class B and Class C fires are those having a sodium bicarbonate base, an ammonium phosphate base or a potassium bicarbonate base.

Most extinguishers manufactured today which contain dry powdered chemicals are charged under pressure so that the chemical powder is expelled by gas onto a fire. While charged dry chemical extinguishers have been found to be very effective, it is inconvenient to use them in places such as a kitchen because of inherent physical limitations and the need to recharge the extinguisher unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the principal object of this invention to provide a dry powdered chemical fire extinguisher in which powder is intended to be manually shaken out of a container onto a fire and a cooperating holder for receiving the container and con veniently storing it in readiness for fire extinguishing. The fire extinguisher structure includes a special stopper sealing the container while stored in readiness for use.

The powder container has a base, an elongate body with a hand hold and a dispensing neck with a narrow opening opposite the base. The stopper has a portion sealingly insertable into, the container neck.

The cooperating holder includes a support interfitting the container base so as to hold the base against movement across the support and a mounting for the stopper for holding the stopper in position to enter the neck of the container resting on the support. The stopper mounting is employed for locking the container in sealed readiness for use in the holder and against unintended release therefrom.

The stopper mounting includes means for supporting the stopper for both rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to the container body and bodily movement toward and away from the container neck. The stopper supporting means has a lever portion for moving the stopper support means into a locked position. In an embodiment of the invention, the stopper support means includes a shaft through the stopper wherein the shaft has an eccentric pivotal mounting relative to the stopper defining cam means for moving the stopper toward and away from the container. In this embodiment, the lever portion includes a handle on the shaft with a portion engageable against the container neck when the shaft offset portion is overcenter relative to a line between the container neck and shaft pivot center.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, the container holder includes a wall securable bracket connecting the container base support and the stopper mounting wherein the support and stopper mounting extend perpendicularly outwardly from the wall secured by a bracket for mounting the container therebetween in a generally upright disposition adjacent the wall. The stopper support means employed therein would include a pair of parallel spaced apart ears having aligned openings therein for receiving the shaft therethrough and capturing the stopper therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side view of a fire extinguisher structure mounted on a wall;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken generally along the line 22 ofFIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. d is the same view as FIG. 3 wherein the fire extinguisher structure is shown in a different position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to FIG. I in greater detail, the fire extinguisher structure of this invention is seen to generally comprise a fire extinguishing powder container, generally designated I0, and a wall mountable, cooperating holder, generally designated I2, receiving the container 10. The container 10 consists of an elongate body 114 having a base 16 at the bottom thereof, a neck 1% at the top thereof, and a handle 20 at the side thereof. At the top of the body 114 opposite the base 16 is an opening 22 through which the fire extinguishing material may be dispensed. The base ilti has a lug 24' protruding outwardly therefrom which has a function of holding the container to the holder.

A resilient stopper generally designated 26, supported by the holder 12 and having a portion 28 sealingly insertable into the container neck 18 is provided to seal opening 22. The stopper has a transverse generally oblong opening 30 in the top thereof for receiving a shaft therethrrough.

The container lltl is relatively small, lightweight and easy to handle and can be blow molded out of a suitable plastic material. A dry powdered chemical fire extinguishing material is easily introduced through the container opening 22. Since the container lltl is not filled under pressure, there is no need to recharge the container with a propelling gas. The fire extinguishing material is dispensed from the container through the opening 22 by shaking the container. Thus, anyone can easily use and refill the container 10 which makes it desirable for around the house use, especially in a kitchen.

The holder 12 is seen to include a stamped L-shaped metal bracket generally designated 32, having a stopper mounting, generally designated 3% fixedly secured near the top thereof. The L-shaped bracket 32 includes a generally vertical portion 36 in facing relationship with the wall and a generally horizontal portion 38 extending outwardly therefrom for supporting the base 116 of the container l0. Portion 36 of the bracket 32 is formed so that it is securable to the wall by means of a pair of suitable fasteners 410. Portion 38 of the bracket 32 has a rectangular opening l2 therein for matingly receiving lug M of the container base In therein.

The stopper mounting 34! is employed for holding the stopper at in position to enter the opening 22 in the neck 118 of a container 10 which is resting on the base support portion 38 of the bracket 32. Turning now to FIGS. 2, 3 and Al in greater detail, the stopper mounting 3d is seen to generally comprise a U-shaped metal strip, generally designated 4S6, and a generally U-shaped metal rod, generally designated t8, cooperating therewith.

The metal strip has a bight 50 joining two parallel facing ears 52. The bight 5th is transversely secured to the upper part of the L-shaped bracket 32 so that the ears 52 extend perpendicularly from the bracket 32. The ears 52 have aligned openings for journaling a shaft therebetween.

The U-shaped rod 418 includes an offset shaft portion 5d forming one leg of the rod, a handle portion 56 forming the other leg and a crank portion 58 joining the shaft portion 54 and the handle portion 56. The offset shaft portion 54 is received through the stopper opening 310 and is journaled at its ends 60 between the ears 52 capturing the stopper 26 therebetween. The crank portion 58 and the handle portion 56 act as a lever to rotate the shaft portion 54 of the rod 48. In this manner, the shaft portion 54 supports the stopper 26 for both rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to the container body and bodily movement toward and away from the container opening 22.

For ease of discussion, the stopper mounting 34 can assume three general positions relative to an imaginary vertical reference line drawn through the shaft portion pivot center line (i.e., the ear opening center), in the plane section shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the shaft portion 54 is to the left of the center line as shown in FIG. 4, the stopper mounting 34 is deemed to be in a before-center" position. When the shaft portion 52 is to the right of the center line as shown in FIG. 3, the stopper mounting 34 is deemed to be in an over-center position. When the center of the shaft portion 54 is generally on the center line (not shown), the stopper mounting 34 is deemed to be in a center position.

The distance between the stopper 26 and the bracket base supporting portion 38 is greater than the length of a container when the stopper mounting 34 is in an over-center or before-center position. The distance between the stopper 26 and the bracket base supporting portion 38 is less than the length of a container 10 when the stopper mounting 34 is in a center position. However, due to the resiliency of the stopper 26, the stopper mounting 34 is able to assume a center position with a container 10 between the stopper 26 and the bracket base supporting portion 38 even though the distance therebetween is less than the length of the container.

In order to use the fire extinguisher structure as described above, the container 10 is first placed in the holder 12 making sure that the base lug 24 is received in the opening 42. This prevents any movement by the base 16 across the bracket base supporting portion 38 when the container 10 is in an upright position. Of course, other suitable means, such as friction, may be employed in lieu of the lug 24 and opening 42 for preventing movement of the container base 16 across the base supporting portion 38. At this juncture, the stopper mounting 34 is in the before-center position. The stopper 26 is then manually inserted into the container opening 22.

While the stopper mounting 34 is in the before-center position, the container 10 may be pivoted about the bracket base supporting portion 38 whenever it is desired to unplug the container 10. In short, when the stopper mounting 34 is in the before-center position, the container opening 22 may alternatively be sealed or, if already sealed, unsealed by merely grasping the handle and pivoting the container 10 about the bracket base supporting portion 38 all in one motion.

A container 10 which is sealed while the stopper mounting 34 is in a before-center position is somewhat stable. However, there is the possibility that the container 10 might be accidentally knocked off the holder 12. Accordingly, it is desirable that the container 10 be locked in the holder 12 when not in use. In order to accomplish this, the handle portion 56 is rotated until it abuts the neck 18 of the container 10 as shown in FIG. 3. The rod shaft portion 54 provides cam means for moving the stopper 26 from a before-center, to a center, and to an over-center position. The handle portion 56 abuts the container neck 18 when the stopper mounting 34 is in the over-center position, as shown in FIG. 3. When in this position, the container 10 is effectively locked against the holder 12 so that the container cannot easily be removed therefrom.

When it is desired to use the container 10 and the stopper mounting 34 is in an over-center position, all that need be done is to flip up the handle portion 56 as shown in FIG. 4. When this is done, the stopper mounting 34 then assumes the before-center position so that the container 10 may easily be removed from the holder 12.

The fire extinguisher structure as described is especially useful as an emergency tool for putting out small fires which most commonly occur in a kitchen, e.g., a grease fire. Due to the size and the nature of storage as above described, the

structure can be conveniently located and used in an area like a kitchen. Any moisture found in a room when the fire extinguisher structure is employed will not damage the effectiveness of the dry chemical powder in the container due to seal caused when the stopper 26 is inserted into the container opening 22. On the other hand, the container 10 is easily removed from the holder 12 and the stopper 26 and used in the manner described above. Thus, the ease of handling and simplicity of use and maintenance make this fire extinguisher structure desirable for use in an ordinary kitchen.

I claim:

1. A dry powder fire extinguisher structure in which powder is intended to be manually shaken from a container onto a fire comprising:

a powder container having a base, an elongate body with a hand hold and a dispensing neck with a narrow opening opposite the base;

a stopper having a portion sealingly insertable into the container neck; and

a cooperating holder receiving the container in stored readiness for fire extinguishing, said holder including a support interfitting the container base so as to hold the base against movement across the support, and a mounting for the stopper for holding the stopper in position to enter the neck of the container resting on the support, said stopper mounting including means for supporting the stopperfor both rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to the container body and bodily movement toward and away from the container neck, said stopper supporting means having a lever portion for moving the stopper support means in a position to lock the container in sealed readiness for use and against unintended release from the holder.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said stopper support means includes a shaft with an offset portion received through the stopper, said shaft having an eccentric pivotal mounting relative to the stopper defining cam means for moving the stopper toward and away from the container.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said lever portion includes a handle of the shaft having a portion engageable against the container neck when the shaft offset portion is over-center relative to a line between the container neck and shaft pivot centers.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the container holder includes a wall securable bracket connecting the container base support and the stopper mounting, said support and stopper mounting extending perpendicularly outwardly from the wall secured bracket for mounting a container therebetween in a generally upright disposition adjacent the wall.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said stopper support means includes a pair of parallel spaced apart ears having aligned openings therein for receiving the shaft therethrough and capturing the stopper therebetween.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said holder includesan upright generally L-shaped metal bracket having one leg securable to a wall and another leg defining the support interfitting the container base extending from the lower end of the wall securable leg,

said stopper mounting including a U-shaped metal strip having a bight joining two parallel facing ears extending outwardly therefrom, said ears having aligned openings therein and said bight being secured transversely across the upper end of the wall securable leg,

said stopper mounting further including a generally U- shaped rod defining the stopper support means having a bight joining first and second legs extending therefrom, said first leg including a rotatable offset shaft portion which is received through the stopper and joumaled at its ends through the ear openings capturing the stopper therebetween, whereby said first leg has an eccentric pivotal mounting relative to the stopper defining cam means for moving the stopper toward and away from the container when said first leg is rotated.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said lever portion is the second leg and the bight which is used for rotating the first leg, said second leg having a portion engageable against the container neck when the offset portion of the first leg is overcenter relative to a line between the container neck and shaft 5 pivot centers. 

1. A dry powder fire extinguisher structure in which powder is intended to be manually shaken from a container onto a fire comprising: a powder container having a base, an elongate body with a hand hold and a dispensing neck with a narrow opening opposite the base; a stopper having a portion sealingly insertable into the container neck; and a cooperating holder receiving the container in stored readiness for fire extinguishing, said holder including a support interfitting the container base so as to hold the base against movement across the support, and a mounting for the stopper for holding the stopper in position to enter the neck of the container resting on the support, said stopper mounting including means for supporting the stopper for both rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to the container body and bodily movement toward and away from the container neck, said stopper supporting means having a lever portion for moving the stopper support means in a position to lock the container in sealed readiness for use and against unintended release from the holder.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said stopper support means includes a shaft with an offset portion received through the stopper, said shaft having an eccentric pivotal mounting relative to the stopper defining cam means for moving the stopper toward and away from the container.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said lever portion includes a handle of the shaft having a portion engageable against the container neck when the shaft offset portion is over-center relative to a line between the container neck and shaft pivot centers.
 4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the container holder includes a wall securable bracket connecting the container base support and the stopper mounting, said support and stopper mounting extending perpendicularly outwardly from the wall secured bracket for mounting a container therebetween in A generally upright disposition adjacent the wall.
 5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said stopper support means includes a pair of parallel spaced apart ears having aligned openings therein for receiving the shaft therethrough and capturing the stopper therebetween.
 6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said holder includes an upright generally L-shaped metal bracket having one leg securable to a wall and another leg defining the support interfitting the container base extending from the lower end of the wall securable leg, said stopper mounting including a U-shaped metal strip having a bight joining two parallel facing ears extending outwardly therefrom, said ears having aligned openings therein and said bight being secured transversely across the upper end of the wall securable leg, said stopper mounting further including a generally U-shaped rod defining the stopper support means having a bight joining first and second legs extending therefrom, said first leg including a rotatable offset shaft portion which is received through the stopper and journaled at its ends through the ear openings capturing the stopper therebetween, whereby said first leg has an eccentric pivotal mounting relative to the stopper defining cam means for moving the stopper toward and away from the container when said first leg is rotated.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said lever portion is the second leg and the bight which is used for rotating the first leg, said second leg having a portion engageable against the container neck when the offset portion of the first leg is over-center relative to a line between the container neck and shaft pivot centers. 